Photo: University of California, Berkeley - College of Environmental Design · Public domain62 homes sold in Kensington in the last year, at a typical $1.6M
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Kensington homes are listed.
Every place Kensington homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Kensington.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 98% of Kensington’s sales, at a typical $1.6M
62 homes sold in the year to May 2026.
typical sale · 61 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $858CA $494
- Days to sell
- 18
- Sold over asking
- 90%
- Listings with a price cut
- 26%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 1 sold, typical $800K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.6 times the 2016 price
62 sales in the last year, against 93 in 2021 and a low of 48 in 2016. The typical sale went from $994K in 2016 to $1.6M.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $1.6M buys in Kensington
Check a listing against what Kensington homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Kensington are more common than before the pandemic, and more homes are for sale
We read every month of Kensington’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to May 2026, 62 sales.
If you’re buying in Kensington
- Shop in April. It brings about 7 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (85% over asking).
- Some room to negotiate. 26% of listings cut their price, about as many as before the pandemic.
- Expect to bid over asking. Buyers paid 122% of the list price on average; 89% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 34% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 18 days.
Fall brings the homes; spring brings the bidding wars
September has the most new listings (about 9 a month), but May is the most competitive: 94% of May sales close over asking. April offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (85%). February has the least competition (71%).
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and hotter than California
| Kensington now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | CA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 89% | 80% | 90% | 36% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 34% | 36% | 71% | 31% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 26% | 25% | 44% | 24% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 122% | 115.3% | 126.6% | 99.7% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 18 | 21 | 14 | 44 |
6 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.7 times the 2023 low (4) and 32% more than in 2017–19.
1 in 4 listings has cut its price
26% in the last year, against 25% in 2017–19 and 24% across California.
Kensington ranks 1st of 555 busy California markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Kensington is one of the state’s hottest markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Five things worth knowing
New listings in September
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 2.
Best time to buySchools
The schools grade for Kensington, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in KensingtonTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Kensington.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
El Cerrito, East Richmond Heights, Emeryville and San Pablo sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Kensington, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 646 | $1.4M | $883 | 74% | 17 |
| El Cerrito | 180 | $1.2M | $730 | 79% | 18 |
| Emeryville | 130 | $443K | $526 | 33% | 42 |
| San Pablo | 122 | $546K | $429 | 48% | 47 |
| Albany | 115 | $1.2M | $954 | 69% | 17 |
| Kensington | 62 | $1.6M | $852 | 89% | 18 |
| East Richmond Heights | 39 | $815K | $627 | 72% | 22 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Kensington, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Kensington. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Kensington with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Kensington
What do homes sell for in Kensington, CA?
62 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $1.6M, $852 a square foot.
Is Kensington a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 3 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 8 sold, about 0.4 months of supply. Buyers paid 122% of asking on average, and 26% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Kensington?
September brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
Where can I see homes for sale in Kensington?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Kensington’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Kensington.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).